Dahlia plant named ‘Baldadendre’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Baldadendre’, characterized by its double-type, dark red-colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia variabilis.

Variety denomination: ‘Baldadendre’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Baldadendre’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, The Netherlands during the summer of 2015. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Dahlia cultivars that are freely flowering with large inflorescences, mid-season flower timing, and a vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

The new Dahlia cultivar is the result of open pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is DAHLINOVA HYPNOTICA ‘Dark Knight’, not patented, characterized by its double type, dark red-colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open pollination during July 2016 in a controlled environment in Hem, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2016 in Hem, The Netherlands and Andijk, The Netherlands has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true-to-type with all the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Baldadendre’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, dark red-colored inflorescences;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having more ray florets per inflorescence and increased growth vigor.

Of the many commercially available Dahlia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is HYPNOTICA Red ‘Dodahhypnore 19’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,596. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Dodahhypnore 19’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have darker red colored         inflorescences than the inflorescences of plants of         ‘Dodahhypnore 19’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more ray florets per         inflorescence than plants of ‘Dodahhypnore 19’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have larger diameter         inflorescences than plants of ‘Dodahhypnore 19’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Baldadendre’. The 14-week-old plants were grown in 6.5-inch pots for 10 weeks in a glass-covered greenhouse in Hem, The Netherlands. Plants were given one pinch before transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Baldadendre’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Baldadendre’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in March 2021 under natural light conditions in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The following descriptions and measurements describe 14-week-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in Hem, The Netherlands in 6.5-inch pots for 10 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch before transplant. Three Daminozide treatments were applied: one at 2,500 ppm two weeks after transplant, a second at 3,000 ppm four weeks after transplant and a third at 3,500 ppm six weeks after transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at an average of approximately 64° F. (18° C.) during the day and approximately 61° F. (16° C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Baldadendre’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—DAHLINOVA HYPNOTICA ‘Dark Knight’, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 9 to 12 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 25 to 32             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.         -   Tuber formation.—Not observed. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 7 to 9 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous,             upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 31.7 cm. Height from soil level to top of             foliage: Approximately 28.6 cm. Width: Approximately 45.6             cm.         -   Branch.—Quantity of lateral branches per plant:             Approximately 7. Strength: Moderately strong. Length of             lateral branch: Approximately 19.2 cm. Diameter of lateral             branch at central internode: Approximately 8.0 mm. Length of             central internode of lateral branch: Approximately 3.4 cm.             Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 146B, strongly tinted             with 152A towards the base. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 12. Type: Simple and compound. Quantity of             leaflets per compound leaf: Approximately 3 or 5. Fragrance:             None detected. Arrangement: Opposite. Aspect: Petiole mostly             perpendicular angle to stem with blade extending downward.             Shape of leaf and leaflet: Elliptic. Margin of leaf and             leaflet: Widely serrate. Apex of leaf and leaflet: Acute.             Base of leaf and leaflet: Broadly attenuate to rounded.             Venation pattern: Pinnate.         -   Simple leaf.—Length: Approximately 10.4 cm. Width:             Approximately 7.8 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface: NN137A blended             with 147A. Color of lower surface: 191A to 191B. Length of             petiole: Approximately 4.8 cm. Diameter of petiole:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces of             petiole: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of petiole: 146B             with 137B. Color of lower surface of petiole: 146B.         -   Mature compound leaf.—Shape: Ovate in outline. Length of             mature compound leaf: Approximately 18.5 cm. Width of mature             compound leaf: Approximately 20.3 cm. Length of terminal             leaflet: Approximately 13.4 cm. Width of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 8.6 cm. Length of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 10.6 cm. Width of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 6.2 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface: NN137A blended             with 147A, tinted with N186C at rachis attachment. Color of             lower surface: 191A and 191B. Length of petiole of mature             compound leaf: Approximately 5.4 cm. Diameter of petiole of             mature compound leaf: Approximately 4.5 mm. Texture of upper             and lower surfaces of petiole: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface of petiole: 146B with 137B. Color of lower surface             of petiole: 146B. Length of rachis: Approximately 4.2 cm.             Diameter of rachis: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper             and lower surfaces of rachis: Glabrous. Color of upper and             lower surfaces of rachis: 146B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Baldadendre’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from summer through autumn.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 2 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Double, composite, consisting of             multiple rows or ray florets, and disc florets, persistent.             Aspect: Facing upward and slightly outward. Arrangement:             Terminal, arising from leaf axils on strong peduncles             positioned over the foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged             acropetally on a capitulum. Quantity per plant:             Approximately 3. Fragrance: None. Shape: Hemispherical to             near spherical when ray florets are fully open.             Inflorescence diameter: Approximately 10.4 cm. Inflorescence             depth: Approximately 7.4 cm. Disc diameter: Approximately             1.5 cm. Receptacle diameter at base: Approximately 1.2 cm.             Receptacle depth: Approximately 3.0 mm. Receptacle color:             145B.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 10.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.5 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 146B, tinted with N199A.         -   Bud.—Rate of bud opening: Generally takes 2 weeks for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 19.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblate. Depth at first             color: Approximately 1.6 cm. Diameter at first color:             Approximately 2.1 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Outer             surface of the phyllaries N144A with base of 143C, and             immature ray florets of N34A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 140.             Arrangement: Imbricate, in multiple whorls. Aspect: Slightly             concave. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute             to having up to 3 acute tips. Base: Attenuate. Appearance:             Matte. Length: Approximately 5.0 cm. Width: Approximately             2.3 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Sparsely pubescent on main veins, ribbed. Color of             upper surface when first and fully open: 53A. Color of lower             surface when first and fully open: 53A. Color of upper             surface before senescence: N45A transitioning to 42A at             base. Color of lower surface before senescence: N45A             transitioning to 45C at base.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 50.             Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence. Aspect:             Erect. Shape: Tubular. Margin: Entire. Apex: 5 acute tips.             Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter at apex:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color when fully open: 14B with             midsection of 12B and 157B at base, translucent.         -   Outer phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 8. Aspect: Flat,             slightly reflexed. Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Width:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 138A.         -   Inner phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 1 per floret.             Shape: Linear, imbricate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly             acute to obtuse. Base: Truncate. Length of outermost:             Approximately 2.1 cm. Width of outermost: Approximately             5.5 mm. Length of innermost: Approximately 1.4 cm. Width of             innermost: Approximately 4.5 mm. Texture of upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 151B,             translucent with 143A at base of outermost.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: On disc florets. Stamen             quantity: 5 per floret. Stamen length: Approximately 1.3 cm.             Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Anther color: 153D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             17A. Gynoecium: On disc florets. Pistil length:             Approximately 1.2 cm. Stigma shape: 2 branched. Stigma             length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Stigma width: Approximately             4.0 mm. Stigma color: 14A to 14B. Style length:             Approximately 9.0 mm. Style color: 154B. Ovary length:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 145C. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Dahlia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Baldadendre’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 